On February 25, 2025 we traveled to Mount Pleasant Chocolate’s first cocoa farm in rural Saint Andrew. Founders Averell French and Hellen Akiror French spoke to us about the history of the land, which has been in Averell’s family for over 120 years; their business, focused on artisan bean-to-bar chocolate; and farming practices, such as chop and drop methods to improve soil fertility. They passed around fresh cocoa pods for everyone to taste and interact with. The sweet juicy flesh was a delightful way to start
This 70-acre farm, unlike any large scale, monocrop farm in the United States, is nestled on the western slopes of the famous Blue Mountains and to the untrained eye, looks like any other mountainside. As Averell and Hellen led us through the hills of the farm they pointed out cocoa trees as well as other crops such as coconut, peppercorn and turmeric. This method of creating a biodiverse ecosystem is a regenerative practice that benefits the soil as well as the farmers. Hellen explained that they encourage their farmers to plant crops alongside the cocoa trees that they can then harvest and sell for their own profit or take home for themselves.
Each student had the opportunity to plant their very own cocoa sapling.
After hiking through the farm and planting our cocoa saplings, we gathered for lunch provided by One Regeneration; fresh coconut, sugar cane, and grapefruit served alongside Trini Doubles and Aloo Pie, popular street food from Trinidad.
Once lunch was finished, students had the opportunity to complete a small batch fermentation of cocoa beans. Everyone took a turn peeling away the pulp covered beans from the placenta and filling the wood box lined with coconut tree leaves.
